Fred deo halsey



(No Model.) F. D. HALSEY.

f MATCH REGBPTAGLE.

N0. 531,115. Patented Def:n 18,1894.

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NrriED STATES .PATENT Urraca.

FRED DEO HALSEY, OF TYLER, TEXAS, ASSIGNORYTO HIMSELF AND l AUGUST OLFENBUTTEL,1OF ySAMF PLACE.

MATCH-RECEPTACLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 531,115, dated December 18, 1894. n

Application iled April 10, 1894,.. Serial No. 507,004- (No model.)

To @ZZ-whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED Duo HALsaY, of Tyler, in the county of Smith and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved l Match-Receptacle, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

"My invention relates to an improvement in match receptacles, and it has for its object to provide a receptacle in which a number of matches may be placed, 'and furthermore to yprovide a means whereby but a single match maybe withdrawn from the receptacle at any drawings, forming a part of this specification,

in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views. 4

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the match box or safe. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof,with the cover of the match receptacle open. Fig. 3 is a Vertical transverse section taken essentially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through the safe, illustratingits operative parts in normal position. Fig. 5 is a like section to Fig. 4, illustrating the operative mechanism in the position it occupies in forcing out a match from the receiving receptacle; and Fig. `6 is a section taken practically on the line 6-6of Fig. 2, illustrating the application to the box of a 'cigar cutter.

In carrying out the invention the match receptacle A may be given any desired shape. It is made of box-like form, and is provided with a cover 10, adapted when the receptacle has received its charge of 'matches to be locked in engagement with the body by any approved locking mechanism.

The Vmatch chamber B of the match-receiving receptacle is provided with downwardly inclined sidewalls 11, the said walls meeting at the central lower portion of the box in order to form a gutter 12, of such size as to receive a single match. The depth of the match chamber at its center may be and preferably is equal to the depth of the box or casing A. Owing to the inclined walls of the match chamberthe matches are compelled to lie over the central trough, and consequently one match will always be in the trough.

The box or casing A may be attached to any approved form of base C, the base illustrated in the drawings representing a dragon; andthe said base is made to extend upward in front of the box, the head portion of the dragon being so located, and in this proj ecting portion of the base a chamber 13 is located. The said chamber is provided with a base or bottom wall 14, which is roughened or serrated and made of a le-like character; in fact, a lile surface may be employed-for said base, and the box or casingA is provided with an opening 15 in the central lower portion of its front end, communicating with the chamber 13 in the upper front portion of the base, and likewise communicating with the forward end of the trough 12 in the match-receiving chamber, whereby when a match finds its exit through the opening 15 it will be compelled to pass over the roughened surface 14. A plunger 16, is held to slide in an opening producedl in the rear wall of the box or casing opposite the opening l5, the rear opening being designated as 17, and the said plunger is of suflcient length to extend practically the full length of the groove or gutter 12 in the match-receiving chamber, as shown in Fig. v5, `being adapted to neatly fit in such groove; consequently the plunger 16 is of a diameter corresponding practically to that of a match splint. The plunger at its rear end sliding movement in a suitable aperture or opening made in the upper portion of the base immediately beneath the central portion of the match chamber; and the said rod 1S, is usually made to pass out atthe front of the base below the roughened surface 14 of its upper chamber 13. In the drawings the forward end of this rod is illustrated as vis attached to a rod 18, and the said rod has IOO adapted to be gripped by the fingersandas forming the tongue of the dragon. A tongue 19 is pivotally attached to the base within its upper chamber 13, and the said tongue is so shaped that its under surface will engage for a predetermined portion of its length with the roughened or le surface 14 in the bottom of the chamber; and the under surface of the said tongue is roughened or rendered of a file character, in fact, is usually similarly treated to the base wallof the said chamber; and the tongue is held in engagement with the roughened bottom of the chamber 13 through the medium ot' a spring 20, which may be of any description. The tongue is shown as detachably located in the base, being provided at its pivoted end with a pivot pin 21, extending beyond opposite sides and entering grooves 22 made in the side walls of the base chamber 13, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

The rod 18 operating the plunger is held in a position which will cause the forward end only of the plunger to be within the match chamber, through the medium of a spring 23, attached to the rod and to a convenient support in the base.

Vhen it is desired to remove a match from the box the rod 18 is drawn in a forwardly direction, whereupon the plunger 16 will engage with the head of the match located in the groove or gtter 12 in the match receptacle, since the heads of the matches are all made to face rearwardly, and the match splint will be forced out through the exit opening 15 between the roughened surfaces of the tongue 19 and the roughened surface with which it contacts; and when the rod has been drawn forwardly to its full extent the head of the match will be preferably within the opening 15, or not in engagement with the contacting roughened surfaces outside of the box. The rod is now released, and the spring 23 will return it to its normal position, another match dropping into the gutter 12. The match splint which has been ejected is now grasped by the operator, and in drawing the match entirely from engagement with the device the head will be drawn between the roughened surfacesV in the base chamber 13, and the match will be ignited. Thus it will be observed that but one match at a time may be removed from the box, and a match must be ignited while being removed.

It will be understood that the chamber 13 at the front of the box may constitute a portion of the box itself when desired. When the box is used by a cigar dealer, or is located upon a bar,or in equivalent public places, openings 24 may be made in one of the side walls of the box or casing, said openings being of diereut sizes to permit of theiusertion ot' a cigar; and above the openings a knife 25 is then pivoted, as shown in Fig. 6, and by passing the knife downward across the openings the inserted tip of the cigar will be removed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- A match box comprising a body in the form of an animal having an open mouth and a passage leading rearwardly therefrom, a match receptacle on the animals back and having a match trough in its bottom communicating at one end with said passage, a plunger working in the gutter and provided with a spring pressed rod extending forwardly through the animals mouth and forming the animals tongue, the said tongue serving also as a tinger piece, while the tail of the animal extends into the rearward path of the rod and forms astop therefor and the ignition devices in said passage, substantially as described.

FRED DEO I-IALSEY.

Witnesses:

F. H. INGRAHAM, J. D. MOODY. 

